HOW TO DOSE HERBAL MEDICINES

Learn how to safely and effectively dose herbal medicines so that you can easily utilize them at home to improve the health of your family.

Many people feel intimidated by using herbs at home because they don’t know how much to use. This is especially the case if you are not use to using herbs or are using herbs with your children.

Herbs can be used safely and effectively at home easily by knowing how to dose herbal medicines for both adults and children.

ADULT HERBAL DOSE

The adult herbal dose is approximated based on an average weight of 150 pounds. Increasing or decreasing the dose might be needed based on weight, but also on overall body constitution. People who are vital and in good health might respond to a normal dose, whereas someone whose body is overly sensitive might need a little less. It is important not to stick to these doses just because you think they are right. You can play with the dose and see what your body best responds to.

Another important factor for herbal dosing is whether you are taking the herb for acute or chronic conditions. Acute conditions come on quickly and tend to be more aggressive, so you want to be more aggressive with treatment. This means taking more of the herb throughout the day for less time.

Chronic conditions on the other hand, have been present for much longer and require a longer treatment. Herbs can work within your body to help correct the underlying problem, and this requires time. Since it requires more time, it is better to use a lower maintenance dose.

Below is a general recommendation for dosing herbal medicines for adults.

	Chronic Conditions	Acute Conditions
Tea (Infusion or decoction)	2 cups daily x several weeks	3-4 cups daily x several days
Tinctures/Syrups	1/2 tsp three times a day x several weeks	1/4-1/2 tsp every 60 minutes as needed until resolved

PEDIATRIC DOSE

The pediatric dose of herbal medicines is based on age. This way of dosing assumes that as you age, your weight increases, which is the case for a majority of healthy growing children. The same dosing applies to children as it does for adults: taking a little more herb for less time with acute conditions, and taking a little less herb for more time with chronic conditions. Below is a general recommendation on how to convert adult dosages to children according to their age.

If the adult dosage is 1 cup (for infusions or decoctions), use these measurements according to age.

AGE	DOSAGE
<2 years old	1/2-1 tsp
2-4 years old	2 tsp
4-7 years olds	1 tbs
7-11 years old	2 tbs

If the adult dosage is 1 teaspoon (60 drops) for tinctures, glycerinates, or syrups, using these measurements according to age.

AGE	DOSAGE
< 3 months	2 drops
3-6 months	3 drops
6-9 months	4 drops
9-12 months	5 drops
12-18 months	7 drops
18-24 months	8 drops
2-3 years old	10 drops
3-4 years old	12 drops
4-6 years old	15 drops (1/4 tsp)
6-9 years old	24 drops
9-12 years old	30 drops (1/2 tsp)

I hope this provided some guidance on how to dose herbs at home for people of all ages and sizes within your family.

If you are looking for some guidance on where to purchase high-quality herbs, consider visiting Mountain Rose Herbs, your local Natural Grocers, or your local natural health foods stores.